In the last two years, major social unrest has rocked Bolivia, and traditional political parties and leaders have been unable to respond in an acceptable manner, tending instead towards brutal repression and violence. Municipal elections across the country last Sunday provide insight into the future possibilities for democracy in Bolivia.

The People Vote

Normally a bustling city dominated by thousands of retro styled buses, customized koumbis, and taxis laying on the horn at every intersection, last Sunday, an eerie calm fell over the Bolivian capital of La Paz. Strict national regulations forbid driving on election day, so the streets were silent while residents of La Paz, along with Bolivians across the country went to the polls en masse to elect new municipal governments.

Electoral reforms introduced in July 2004, meant to increase Indigenous participation and restore faith in the democratic process, did little to change the outcome of Sunday’s elections. The election results in Bolivia’s ten biggest cities, announced yesterday, saw seven incumbent mayors returning for their second term. In La Paz, centre left Juan del Granada, from the Fearless movement (MSM) was re-elected, although his opponents took to the streets days after the election declaring the results fraudulent. In the sprawling heights of neighbouring El Alto, neoliberal Jose Luis Paredes was elected for a second term.

The most interesting -and likely the most watched- development of Sunday’s elections is the status of the Movimiento Al Socialismo (Movement Towards Socialism), which emerged without a majority in any major city, but as the major party of the elections. As combined support of the traditional parties combined fell to less than 10%, the MAS won seats in the four largest municipalities in Bolivia, a feat which no other party came close to matching.

The MAS emerged in 2002 as a contender in the federal elections, when IMF favourite Sanchez de Lozada entered into a coalition with another traditional party to edge out MAS leader Evo Morales for the presidency. De Lozada, the second richest man in Bolivia and a target for intense pressure from American and petrol interests, took on his second term as president with a much larger opposition in parliament than in his first term. Little did he know that this MAS dominated opposition in parliament was to be indicative of a massive grassroots resistance to his policies that was about to explode across the country. Understanding the tumultuous events in Bolivia since the election of De Lozada helps explain why all eyes were on the MAS in Sunday’s elections.

The Multitude and the MAS

In January 2003, major protests erupted in the Chaparé region, led by coca growers (or cocaleros) and spearheaded by Morales. Fed up with de De Lozada’s support for the ongoing US sponsored drug war, the cocaleros took to the streets on January 13th. These demonstrations, which took the form of road blockades, ended with more than 10 people killed by state security forces, and hundreds detained or wounded. This violent repression by De Lozada’s government was but a hint of things to come.

Bolivia came to the world’s attention in what is now known as the “October Crisis